murrain

[ mur-in ]

noun

1. Veterinary Pathology. any of various diseases of cattle, as anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, and Texas fever.
2. Obsolete. a plague or pestilence.

murrain

/ ˈmʌrɪn /

noun

1. any plaguelike disease in cattle
2. a plague

Word History and Origins

Origin of murrain¹

1300–50; Middle English moreine, moryne < Middle French morine a plague, equivalent to mor ( ir ) to die (≪ Latin morī ) + -ine -ine ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of murrain¹

C14: from Old French morine, from morir to die, from Latin morī

Example Sentences

He explained that the Maullín flows on a glacial murrain so the trees float on the water in a dense mass.

From New York Times

The editorial added: “Otherwise nature is outraged, floods will again sweep the land and murrains strike our cattle. Or we could just stick with toast.”

From New York Times

Five hides belonging to animals which had died of murrain were tanned and used for collars and other cart gear on the farm; but all the rest were sold, thirty-six of them in all.

From Project Gutenberg

Experiments with the result which I have stated have been made with the microbes of splenic fever, chicken cholera, murrain, and certain other maladies.

From Project Gutenberg

"What a murrain!" muttered Amos, scrambling back and running after him.

From Project Gutenberg